Eyes and Ashes
by JXeleven
Summary: As a little kid Arthur had one female figure he looked up to, but what will happen when Uther arrests her and sends her to burn at the stake? No slash, one-shot.


_**A/N: Just an one-shot that I wanted to make after I thought of it. It's dark so be warned. More I won't tell you guys (besides of what you have just read from the summary), just enjoy this one-shot and tell me what you thought of it. **_

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin... Sadly. **_

xxx

Arthur smiled up at his nanny as she walked into the room. 'Helena!' He screamed in his high pitched voice.

Helena smiled back at the eleven year old boy in front of her and quickly sank to her knees, allowing him to hug her. 'Hi, Arty.' She whispered to him as she placed her arms around his tiny body.

The little prince looked up, meeting her eyes, her pearl blue eyes, and his smile widened even further. 'Can we go watch the knights train today?' He asked, looking at her with his puppy eyes and she laughed in return, she was already resistant to that look.

'No, maybe later today, first we have to look at the homework that Sir Hugbert gave you.'

His lips changed to a pout, he hated doing homework. 'Do we really have too?'

'Yes Arthur.' She said sternly and he knew he wouldn't be able to change her mind. '... but, if you're able to finish your homework before dinner than we can watched the knights the remaining time.'

He didn't even reply to her as he set off running, not wanting to waste any time as he quickly started scribbling on the parchment.

It was an hour later when they decided to take a little break, Helena making tea for the both of them. He looked at her back as she leaned over the cups and he eventually asked. 'How long will it take before I can play with him?'

She turned to look at him for a moment, an amused smile spread over her lips and she let one of her hands roam over her small bump. 'It will take at least another five months before the baby is born and after that he will only eat and sleep for a long time.'

'That's no fun.' Arthur titled his head slightly to the side. 'But I guess I can wait and when he's old enough I will learn him how to fight!' The last he said proudly as he held out his chest, oh they were going to have so much fun!

'And why do you think that the baby is going to be a boy?' His nanny asked as she turned back with a tray in her hands, handing him a cup of tea.

'I just know.' The prince declared before placing the tea to his lips, hissing as he noticed the tea was still too hot to drink. Stupid tea.

She sighed as she leaned back, slowly blowing at her tea. 'We just have to wait and see.' Helena mumbled to herself as she absentmindedly rubbed her belly.

'Helena, c-.' He wasn't able to finish his words as the door swung open, loudly slamming against the wall and Arthur dropped his cup, breaking off the handle as it landed on the table. He stared shocked up at his father, the king's eyes were filled with murderous intent. 'Father, what ar-.'

But the prince couldn't finish his words as the king glared at him before his eyes snapped back to the prince's nanny. 'Arrest that witch!'

Helena had magic? The boy stared at his nanny, frowning at her, but she only had eyes for the guards coming towards her. He could hear her scream, shout, curse, but none of it worked as she was dragged away.

Arthur reacted in almost the same way, he screamed for them to let her go as he reached for her, clinging to her arms, until he felt his father's hands around his waist, dragging him out of her arms. 'Arthur.' His father's voice was filled with anger, almost hissing the word at him. 'She's a witch, she doesn't deserve your pity.'

He could only cry, cry for the woman he cared for more than anything. The only one who was like a mother to him.

xxx

His father made him watch as she was bound to the stake, as she cried soft tears, her face and body both broken. Her pearl blue eyes were lifeless, her body hanging limply in the ropes that bound her to the wood, she knew she was going to die, she knew that his father would never let her live.

And he knew it too, as young as he was...

She looked up, for a moment he could see her pearl blue eyes. She looked at him as if to say that it was okay, that she didn't blame him, but he blamed himself.

'Arthur, you're a prince, prince's don't cry.' His father snapped at him before turning back to the people beneath the balcony, they were cheering for the witch to die. Arthur looked at them, through the bars of the balcony, they may cheer, but their eyes were filled with horror, they didn't want to cheer, but they knew they were supposed to. 'Today we're here to witness the execution of a witch. A monster who wouldn't hesitate to kill anyone of us, today we will get rid of an enemy of Camelot.' His father said and immediately he signaled to one of the guards wearing a torch.

The guard quickly made his way forward, afraid of what the king would do if he didn't listen. The fire rapidly spread over the wood... Arthur gasped as the fire reached her, he could hear her scream as the fire started to eat at her legs.

No matter what his father said he let tears roll over cheeks, his hands desperately reaching for her, but he couldn't reach her.

There was another scream in the crowd. 'Helena!' The guards weren't able to stop a man running through the crowd, passing the guards and jumping onto the stake, not hesitating as the fire engulfed him. No, instead he reached for Helena, holding himself tight against her as the flames ate their flesh, they screamed, they cried, yet at the same time they gave each other strength in their last moments.

And then their voices stopped, their bodies slowly turning to ash...

xxx

Arthur never forgot her, always remembering those pearl blue eyes.

But now he was angry and he just ignored the method Helena had taught him to calm himself, his father had made an idiot his manservant, he may have had terrible servants, but this boy... A growl of anger left his lips. He was rude and clumsy and Arthur just wanted to hit him.

He breathed out angrily as he sank back into his bed, he would give the boy one day, one single day and then he would throw him out, probably sending him to the stocks... again.

It wasn't long, still too late as he should have been woken up at least a half an hour before, that the boy stumbled inside, almost dropping the plate with his breakfast. 'S-sorry, my lord.' The boy mumbled.

And it was then that the boy looked up, staring him straight in the eyes. It was strange and frightening when their eyes locked and he was forced to look into those pearl blue eyes.

Helena... They were like hers, maybe a bit different, but still, they were like hers'. They held the same joy, the same trust... and that hint of mystery.

He turned to look away, afraid of the tears he felt in his eyes. Maybe... he would give this boy a real chance, still he couldn't get too close, he didn't want to get hurt... not again.

So he would keep his distance.


End file.
